Help us share Jordan's passion for the mountains
Jordan Benjamin, born July 8, 1988 was a true lover of all sports. Growing up in Petaluma, California it was winter sports that quickly became an integral part of his life. From skiing at the age 6 and switching to snowboarding at 10, Jordan's passion for the slopes flourished. The family's frequent visits to Squaw Valley (now Palisades Tahoe) in Lake Tahoe molded him into the expert he soon became. By his early teens he was conquering black diamond runs and flew down the mountain claiming the title of best in the family.
Jordan took his passion for the snow and love of the mountain, and decided he needed them daily in his life in college, so he picked University of Colorado at Boulder. There his love for the incredible mountain terrain in the winters, and hot summers yielding perfect weather for softball and golf flourished. Throughout his college years he went to many of Colorado's beautiful ski resorts but always came home to Tahoe every year to return to his favorite runs at Granite Chief and Red Dog. Throughout Jordan's twenties and thirties he continued his love for the sport, inspiring both of his sisters and exploring resorts throughout the Rocky Mountains and the Teton Mountains.
Jordan's passion and zest for life and sports was infectious but in early 2023 Jordan was diagnosed with Stage IV metastatic squamous cell/mucoepidermoid carcinoma. The guy who once revelled in days spent snowboarding, golfing, playing competitive softball, and daily workouts at the gym found himself in a battle against a cancer so aggressive it had spread into nearly every organ and his spine before he even knew he had it. Despite undergoing back surgery in March to remove the tumors compressing his spinal cord, tragedy occurred when he suffered a major stroke leaving him paralyzed in his left arm and leg March 19th.
Throughout his 9 month battle with cancer and the daily challenges of stroke rehabilitation, Jordan exhibited unwavering resilience. Despite every setback, he rediscovered the strength to walk and was committed to his passion for life. Merely a month after the stroke we were talking about adaptive skiing and golfing and plans to return for the 23/24 seasons. Jordan's unyielding spirit and athletic mentality persisted, which is a testament to the natural skill that graced him in every sport he embraced. His love for winter sports lives on through his family members and friends and all who inspired him.
In honor of Jordan's memory, who passed away on December 7th 2023 at age 35, a memorial fund has been set up with Achieve Tahoe to keep his love for snowboarding, adventure and life ongoing. Please consider donating to this wonderful organization on his behalf.
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Achieve Tahoe is a 501(c)3 nonprofit dedicated to building health, confidence, and independence in people with disabilities since 1967. Learn more at AchieveTahoe.org.